The Link Between ROI and Automatic SMS/Email Reminders in dental software

Thanks to the meaningful use program and related government initiatives, healthcare organizations across the United States are implementing electronic health record (EHR) systems to better tackle the growing volume of patients. ROI is an important factor for clinics that are trying to evaluate the risk return profile for EHR implementation.

When trying to choose between products from different vendors, the value assigned to individual features can vary according to its impact on ROI. However it is not always easy to see the link between a particular feature set and the potential return on investment for a large-scale EHR project. One such feature is “automatic reminders” – SMS/email – which is commonly included with most EHR systems.

Though it goes by many names, the functionality offered is the same: the ability to automatically send reminders to patients via text messaging or email, according to individual preferences. Many practice managers may dismiss this feature as being convenient but not having much of an impact on revenue management. Nevertheless, utilizing this option to the fullest can have a meaningful impact on ROI over the long run.

Sometimes, the biggest problem faced by dental practices is to actually get patients into the office. In some cases, clients have to be reminded about follow-up visits after major surgery or treatment. Additionally, some people may forget to come in for their annual checkup and need to be reminded as well. A visit to the dentist is not a pleasant task and hence many tend to put it off for as long as possible.

Missed or late appointments and no-shows can quickly add up in terms of revenue loss and wasted time. Not only does it have an adverse effect on the oral health of the patient but it also means that office staff have to cope with last-minute appointments, rescheduling and arranging emergency visits for patients that cannot be postponed any longer.

Setting up these reminders manually takes time and there is a high probability that a few patients will be missed. Automatic reminders removes much of the tedium involved in this task as well as ensuring that all patients have been contacted at least once. The practice can easily manage the appointment schedule in advance, preventing last-minute confusion.

Dovetail dental software makes it easy to send out reminders to only those patients that have to schedule an appointment – either for the annual checkup or follow-up visits. Our software will allow your employees to focus on more important tasks instead of wasting time on minutiae.